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THE FIGHT AT 



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LAKE GEORGE. 



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By the Rev. B. F. k DeCosta, 

Author of "Notes on the History of Fort George," &c. kQ. 



Reprinted, with additions, from the New-England Historical and Genealogical Register. 



J. Sabin & Sons, 84 Nassau St, 

London : 22 Buckingham St. 

1872. 



EDITION OP 200 COPIES. 



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Boston : 
David Clapp & Son, Printers. 




THE FIGHT AT DIAMOND ISLAND. 



STANDING upon one of the heights near the head or southern end 
of Lake George, 1 the tourist looks down on the placid waters, and 
sees at his feet a small island covered with verdure, and glowing like an 
emerald in the summer sun. It is Diamond Island, 2 one of the best 
known of the many exquisite isles that gem the more distant portions of 
the little inland sea ; which here boasts only about half-a-dozen, notwithstand- 
ing Cooper speaks of " countless islands " that may be seen from this spot. 

' " There is one point on which we would wish to say a word before closing the 
preface. Hawk-Eye calls the Lac du Saint Sacrement, ' the Horican.' As we believe 
this to be an appropriation of the name that has its origin with ourselves, the time has 
arrived, perhaps, when the fact should be frankly admitted. While writing this book fully 
a quarter of a century since, it occurred to us that the French name of the lake was too 
complicated, the American too common-place, and the Indian too unpronounceable, for 
either to be used in a work of fiction. Looking over an ancient map, it was ascertained that 
a tribe of Indians, called 'Les Horicans' by the French, existed in the neighborhood of this 
beautiful sheet of wator. As every word uttered by Natty Bumpo was not to be received 
as rigid truth, we took the liberty of putting the ' Horican ' into his mouth, as a substitute 
for 'Lake George.' . . . We relieve our conscience by the confession." [Last of the 
Mohicans, Ed. 1872, p. 4.] In connection with this subject, see the author's "Lake 
George : its Scenes and Characteristics," pp. 73, 74 : "A Narrative of Events at Lake 
George," p. 5 ; and " Notes on the History of Fort George," p. 6. At the present time 
there is a unanimous desire on the part of the admirers of Lake George to secure the return 
to the old and beautiful name. 

2 Silliman, who was here in 1819, says : "The crystals are hardly surpassed by any in the 
world for transparency and perfection of form. They are, as usual, the six-sided prism, and 
are frequently terminated at both ends by six-sided pyramids. These last, of course, must 
be found loose, or, at least, not adhering to any rock ; those which are broken off have 
necessarily only one pyramid." — Silliman's Travels, p. 153. 



4 THE FIGHT AT DIAMOND ISLAND. 

From time immemorial, Diamond Island has borne its present name, 
derived from the exquisite crystals with which the underlying^rock abounds. 
Here is the scene of the fight which took place on this lake, Sept. 24, 1777, 
an occurrence that appears to have been purposely overlooked by the 
Americans at the time, and which has since failed to find a chronicler. 1 

But before proceeding to give the narrative of this event it may be well 
to speak of several other points, and to make a brief statement of the military 
situation at that time. 

First comes the question of the discovery of Lake George by the 
Europeans. According to the best knowledge that we possess, its waters 
were first seen by a white man in the year 1646. 2 It is true Champlain 
tells us that he saw the falls at the outlet of the lake in 1609, yet there is 
nothing whatever to indicate that he visited the lake itself, though the 
Indians had informed him of its existence. It is reasonable, therefore, to 
conclude that Lake George was seen for the first time by a European, May 
29, 1646, 3 when it received its name, "Lac du Saint Sacrement," from the 
Rev. Isaac Jogues, S. J., who, in company with Jean Bourdon, the celebrated 
engineer, was on his way south to effect a treaty with the Mohawks. 

1 This affair was alluded to by the English, though the Americans said nothing. Among 
recent writers, I have found no notice beyond that by Lossing in his Field Book, vol. i. p. 
114. When the present writer composed his first work on Lake George he had not found 
the official account by Col. Brown. 

2 See Relations des Jesaites, 1646, p. 15. 

3 Mr. Parkman, in his work on The Jesuits in America (p. 219), has indeed stated that 
Father Jogues ascended Lake George in 1642, when, in company with Pere Goupil, he was 
carried awa} T a prisoner by the Indians. 

The opinion of Mr. Parkman is based on a manuscript account of that journey, taken down 
from Father Jogues's own lips by Father Buteux. The account, after describing the 
journey southward and over Lake Champlain, which occupied eight days, says that they 
"arrived at the place where one leaves the canoes" (oiil'on qitittelcscanots), and then 
"marched southward three days by land," until they reached the Mohawk villages. But 
there is nothing whatever in the description, by which we can recognize a passage over 
Lake tieorge, nothing about the portage, the falls, nor the outlet. Everything turns chiefly 
on the fact that they arrived at the place where one leaves the ca?ioes. 1 his place, it is 
assumed, was the head of Lake George, from whence there was a trail southward. Now in 
regard to the existence of such a trail at that period, there can be no doubt; yet unques- 
tionably it was not the only trail followed by the Indians. The old French map shows two 
trails to the Mohawk villages, one from the head of Lake George, and the other from the 
South-west Bay. 

It is true that Champlain, in 1609, intended to go to the Mohawk country, by Lake 
George, yet at the period of Jogues's captivity we have no account of any one taking that 
route. Father Jogues himself clearly did not cross the lake in 1646. It is distinctly said 



THE FIGHT AT DIAMOND ISLAND. 5 

Arriving at the outlet of the lake on the evening of Corpus Christi, they 
gave it the above name in honor of this festival, which falls on the Thursday 
following Trinity Sunday, and commemorates the alleged Real Presence of 
Christ in the Great Sacrament. 

From this time until 1755 the lake was rarely visited by Europeans. At 
this period the French commenced the fortifications of Ticonderoga, while 
the English met the advance by the construction of Fort William Henry at 
the orjposite end of the lake. 

We pass over the struggles that took place on these waters during the 
French wars, and come to the period of the Revolution, when a feeble 
English garrison held possession of Ticonderoga, while Capt. Nordberg lived 
in a little cottage at the head of the lake, being the nominal commander of 
tenantless Fort George. With the commencement of the struggle for liberty, 
Lake George resumed its former importance as a part of the main highway 
to the Canadas, and by this route our troops went northward, until the tide 
turned, and our own soil, in the summer of 1777, became the scene of fresh 
invasion. Then Burgoyne's troops poured in like a flood, and for a time 
swept all before them. It was at this period that the fight at Diamond 
Island took place. 

Burgoyne had pushed with his troops, by the Whitehall route, far to the 
southward of Lake George, being determined to strike at Albany, having 

that they arrived at the end of the lake (bout de lac) on the eve of the Festival of St. 
Sacrement, when they named the lake, and the next day went south on foot, carrying their 
packs on their hacks. This is the view given by every one who has treated the subject in 
print, including Mr. Parkman himself. 

To this it has been answered that bout de lac always means the head of the lake, and that 
the terms are so used in the Relations ; yet if we return to the Relation of 1668 (vol. iii. 
p. 5), detailing the journey of Fathers Fremin, Pieron and Bruyas, we find that this is not 
the case. The writer there says that while he and others delayed on an island in Lake 
Champlain, the boatmen went forward, "landing at the end of the Lake (bout de lac) du 
St. Sacrement, and preparing for the portage." At this place, the north end of the lake, 
there is a heavy portage, in order to get around the Falls of Ticonderoga. In the next 
sentence he again calls this end of the lake, which is the north end or outlet, bout de lac. 
But we have also to remind the reader, that the place where Father Jogues left his canoe, in 
1646, was at the north end of the lake (the foot), which he, like the others, calls bout de lac. 
The language is so translated by Parkman and others who have mentioned the circumstance. 
Bout de lac, in the Jesuit Relations, therefore does not mean the head of the lake. We see, 
then, that we have not sufficient reason for supposing that "the place where one leaves the 
canoes" meant the head, or south end of Lake George, and consequently that the alleged 
passage over the lake by Jogues, in 1642, is indefensible, on that ground. 



6 THE FIGHT AT DIAMOND ISLAND. 

left but a small force at Ticonderoga, a handful of men at Fort George, and 
a garrison at Diamond Island to guard the stores accumulated there. Seeing 
the opportunity thus broadly presented, Gen. Lincoln, acting under the 
direction of Gates, resolved to make an effort to destroy Burgoyne's line of 
communication, and, if possible, capture his supplies. He therefore 
despatched Col. John Brown with a force to attack Ticonderoga, an enter- 
prise which, though attended with partial success, failed in the end. To this 
failure he subsequently added another, resulting from the fight at Diamond 
Island. 

But since the printed accounts of the attack upon Ticonderoga are almost 
as meagre as those of the struggle at the island, we will here give the official 
report, which is likewise to be found among the Gates Papers, now in the 
possession of the Historical Society of New-York, jjrefacing the report, 
however, with the English statement of Burgoyne. 

In the course of a vindication of his military policy, Gen. Burgoyne writes 
as follows : 

"During the events stated above, an attempt was made against Ticonderoga by an 
army assembled under Major-General Lincoln, who found means to march with a 
considerable corps from Huberton undiscovered, while another column of his force 
passed the mountains Skenesborough and Lake George, and on the morning of the 
18th of September a sudden and general attack was made upon the carrying place at 
Lake-George, Sugar-Hill, Ticonderoga, and Mount-Independence. The sea officers 
commanding the armed sloop stationed to defend the carrying place, as also some of 
the officers commanding at the post of Sugar-Hill and at the Portage, were surprised, 
and a considerable part of four companies of the 53d regiment were made prisoners; 
a block-house, commanded by Lieutenant Lord of the 53d, was the only post on that 
side that had time to make use of their arms, and they made a brave defence till 
cannon taken from the surprised vessel was brought against them. 

" After stating and lamenting so fatal a want of vigilance, I have to inform your 
Lordship of the satisfactory events which followed. 

"The enemy having twice summoned Brigadier General Powell, and received such 
answer as became a gallant officer entrusted with so important a post, and having 
tried during the course of four days several attacks, and being repulsed in all, 
retreated without having done any considerable damage. 

"Brigadier General Powell, from whose report to me I extract this relation, gives 
great commendations to the regiment of Prince Frederick, and the other troops 
stationed at Mount-Independence. The Brigadier also mentions with great applause 



THE FIGHT AT DIAMOND ISLAND. 7 

the behaviour of Captain Taylor of the 21st regiment, who was accidentally there on 
his route to the army from the hospital, and Lieutenant Beecroft of the 24th regi- 
ment, who with the artificers in arms defended an important battery." 1 

Such is Burgoyne's account of the attack upon Ticonderoga ; next to 
which comes that of Col. Brown, who, for the second time in the course of 
his military experience, had an opportunity of exhibiting bis valor in 
connection with the fort. His report to Gen. Lincoln runs as follows : 

"North end of lake George landing. 

"thursday Sep 10* 1777 
"Sir, 

" With great fatigue after marching all last night I arrived at this place at the 
break of day, and after the best disposition of the men, I could make, immediately 
began the attack, and in a few minutes, carried the place. I then without any loss 
of time detatched a considerable part of my men to the mills, where a greater number 
of the enemy were posted, who also Were soon made prisoners, a small number of 
whom having taken possession of a block house in that Vicinity were with more 
difficulty bro't to submission ; but at the sight of a Cannon they surrendered, during 
this season of success, Mount Defiance also fell into our hands. I have taken pos- 
session of the old french lines at Ticonderoga, and have sent a flag demanding the 
surrender of Ty : and mount independence in strong and peremptory terms. I have 
had as yet no information of the event of Col . Johnsons attack on the mount. My 
loss of men in these several actions are not more than 3 or 4 killed and 5 wounded, 
the enemy's loss ; is less. I find myself in possession of 293 prisoners. Viz' 2 captains, 
9 subs. 2 Commissaries, non Commissioned officers and privates 143. British 119 
Canadians, 18 artificers and retook more than 100 of our men. total 293, exclusive 
of the prisoners retaken. — The watercraft I have taken, is 150 batteaus below the 
falls on lake Champlain 50 above the falls including 17 gun boats and one armed sloop, 
arms equal to the number of prisoners. Some ammunition and many other things 
which I cannot now ascertain. I must not forget to mention a few Cannon which may 
be of great service to us. Tho : my success has hitherto answered my most sanguine 
expectations, I cannot promise myself great things, the events of war being so dubious 
in their nature, but shall do my best to distress the enemy all in my power, having 
regard to my retreat — There is but a small quantity of provisions at this place which 
I think will necessitate my retreat in case we do not carry Ty and independence — 1 
hope you will use your utmost endeavor to give me assistance should I need in 
crossing the lake &c — The enemy but a very small force at fort George. Their boats 
are on an island about 14 miles from this guarded by six companies, having artillery 

1 State of the Expedition from Canada. By Burgoyne. p. xciv. Ed. 1780. 



8 THE FIGHT AT DIAMOND ISLAND. 

— I have much fear with respect to the prisoners, being obliged to send them under 
a small guard — I am well informed that considerable reinforcements is hourly 
expected at the lake under command of Sir John Johnson — This minute received Gen 1 . 
Powals answer to my demand in these words, ' The garrison intrusted to my charge 
I shall defend to the last.' Indeed I have little hopes of putting him to the necessity 
of giving it up unless by the force under Colonel Johnson. 

"Iam& 
" Gen 1 Lincoln. 1 "John Brown." 



We now turn to the fight at Diamond Island, giving first the English 
version, simply remarking as a preliminary, that in the postscript of a letter 
address, by Jonas Fay to Gen. Gates, dated Bennington, Sept. 22, 1771, 
is the following : 

"By a person just arrived from Fort George — only 30 men are at that place and 
2 Gun Boats anchor'd at a distance from land and that the enemy have not more 
than 3 weeks provision." 2 

Writing from Albany after his surrender, Gen. Burgoyne says, under the 
date of Oct. 27th, that 

"On the 24th instant, the enemy, enabled by the capture of the gunboats and 
bateaux which they had made after the surprise of the sloop , to embark upon Lake 
George, attacked Diamond Island in two divisions. 

"Captain Aubrey and two companies of the 47th regiment, had been posted at 
that island from the time the army passed the Hudson's River, as a better situation 
for the security of the stores at the south end of Lake George than fort George, 
which is on the continent, and not tenable against artillery and numbers. The 
enemy were repulsed by Captain Aubrey with great loss, and pursued by the gun- 
boats under his command to the east shore, where two of their principal vessels were 
retaken, together with all the cannon. They had just time to set fire to the other 
bateaux and retreated over the mountains." 3 

This statement was based upon the report made by Lieut. Irwine, the 
commander at Lake George, whose communication appears to have fallen 
into the hands of Gates, at the surrender of Burgoyne. 

1 Gates Papers, p. 194. s Ibid. p. 208. 

3 State of the Expedition from Canada, p. 53. 



THE FIGHT AT DIAMOND ISLAND. 9 

Lieut. Geo. Irwine, of the 47th, reports thus to Lieut. Francis Clark, 
aid-de-camp to Gen. Burgoyne : 

(| " Fort George 24 th Sept r . 1777. 

"I think it necessary to acquaint you for the information of General Burgoyne, 
that the enemy, to the amount of two or three hundred men came from Skcnesborogh 
to the carrying place near Tyconderoga and there took seventeen or eighteen Batteaus 
with Gunboats-Their design was first to attack the fort but considering they could 
not well accomplish it without cannon they desisted from that scheme, they were 
then resolved to attack Diamond Island (which Island Capt. Aubrey commands) and 
if they succeeded, to take this place, they began to attack the Island with cannon 
about 9 o'clock yesterday morning, I have the satisfaction to inform you that after a 
cannonading for near an hour and a half on both sides the enemy took to their retreat 
Then was Gun boats sent in pursuit of them which occasioned the enemy to burn 
then- Gun boats and Batteaus and made their escape towards Skenesborough in »reat 
confusion-we took one Gun boat from them with a twelve pounder in her and a 
good quantity of ammunition-we have heard there was a few kill'd and many 
wounded of them. There was not a man killed or hurt during the whole action of 
his Majesty's Troops. I have the honor to be Sir your most obedient and most 
humb le Ser' ' 

" Geo e Irwine Com at Fort George 
' ' L e 47 th ' ' * 



We next give the report of Col. Brown, who writes as follows, and 
not without chagrin : 

"Dear Sir " Skeensboro Frida y U o'clock, a m. Sept 26th 1777 

" I this minute arrived at this place by the way of Fort Ann, was induced to take 
this rout on ac< of my Ignorance of the situation of every part of the continental 
Army 

« On the 22 ins' at 4 o'clk P.M. I set sail from the north end Lake George with 20 
sail of Boats three of which were armed , Viz one small sloop mounting 3 <mns and 2 
British Gun Boats having on Board the whole about 420 Men officers°induded with 
a Determined resolution to attack Diamond Island which lies within 5 miles Fort 
George at the break of Day the next Morning, but a very heavy storm coming on 
prevented-I arrived Sabbath Day point abt midnight where I tarried all night, 

1 Gates Papers, p. 218. 



10 THE FIGHT AT DIAMOND ISLAND. 

during which time I [sic] small Boat in the fleet taken the Day before coming from 
Fort George, conducted by one Ferry lately a sutler in our army, I put Ferry on his 
Parole, but in the night he found Means to escape with his Boat, and informed the 
Enemy of our approach, on the 23d I advanced as far as 12 Mile Island, the Wind 
continuing too high for an attack I suspended it untill the Morning of the 24 th at 9 
oclock at which Time I advanced with the 3 armed Boats in front and the other 
Boats, I ordered to wing to the Right and left of Island to attempt a landing if prac- 
ticable, and to support the Gun Boats in case they should need assistance, I was 
induced to make this experiment to find the strength of the Island as also to carry it 
if practicable — the enemy gave me the first fire which I returned in good earnest, 
and advanced as nigh as I thought prudent, I soon found that the enemy had been 
advertised of our approach and well prepared for our reception having a great num- 
ber of cannon well mounted with good Breast Works, I however approached within 
a small Distance giving the Enemy as hot a fire as in my Power, untill the sloop was 
hulled between wind and Water and obliged to toe her off and one of the boats so 
damaged as I was obliged to quit her in the action. I had two men killed two Mor- 
tally wounded and several others wounded in such Manner as I was obliged to leave 
them under the Care of the Inhabitants, who I had taken Prisoners giving them a 
sufficient reward for their services. 

1 Run my Boats up a Bay a considerable distance and burnt them with all the 
Baggage that was not portable — The Enemy have on Diamond Island as near as 
could be collected are about three hundred, and about 40 at Fort George with orders 
if they are attacked to retreat to the Island — Gen 1 Borgoine has about 4 Weeks 
Provision with his army and no more, he is determined to cut his Road through to 
Albany at all events, for this I have the last authority, still I think him under a 
small mistake — Most of the Horses and Cattle taken at Ty and thereabouts were left 
in the Woods. Gen 1 Warner has put out a party in quest of them. 

" I am Dear S r wishing you and the 
"Main Army 

" great Success your most ob' 
" hum 1 Ser' 

" J so Brown 
" Geni Lincoln 

" NB You may Depend on it that alter the British Army were supply with six 
Weeks provision which was two weeks from the Communication between Lake 
George and Fort Edward was ordered by Gen 1 Burgoine to be stor'd and no passes 
given 

"The attack on the Island continued with interruption 2 Hours." * 

1 Gates Papers, p. 220. 



THE FIGHT AT DIAMOND ISLAND. H 

Thus ended the fight at Diamond Island ; a fight which, if attended with 
better success, might have perhaps hastened the surrender of Burgoyne, 
and resulted in other advantages to the American arms. As it was, how- 
ever, the British line of communication on Lake George was not broken, 
while the American leaders took good care to prevent this failure from 
reaching the public ear through the press. Thus Col. Brown's reports to 
Gen. Lincoln remained unpublished. They have now been brought out 
and put on permanent record, as interesting material for American history. 
As regards the island in more recent times, there is little to tell. It 
once boasted a little house of entertainment; but that has long since 
passed away. To-day the summer tourist who rows out to this lovely isle, 
which commands delightful views of the lake far and wide, will see no 
evidences of Col. Brown's fight, but will find the very atmosphere bathed 
in perfect peace. Of relics of the old wars, which for more than a hundred 
years caused the air to jar, and echoing hills to complain, — there are none. 
The ramparts that once bristled with cannon have been smoothed away, 
and the cellar of an ancient house is all the visitor will find among the 
birches to tell of the olden occupancy of man. 




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